May-Jul 2021 “Hong Kong Industrialist”

MORE THAN MANUFACTURING: THE MESSAGE FROM SURGICAL MASK INDUSTRY 口罩工業的啓示 「香港製造」不止製造︰ A t the beginning of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the demand for epidemic supplies, especially disposable surgical masks, has burst around the world. While Hong Kong used to rely on importing surgical masks in the past, the local mask shortage had exacerbated to the worst level at that time as many economies tightened exports, suspended manufacturing plants and held up freight logistics due to pandemic. The news scenes of people queuing up all night for buying surgical masks can hardly be forgotten. In view of the stretched supply, many Hong Kong manufacturers, even though with mere industrial experience, devoted to establishing surgical mask production lines in Hong Kong. The people’s yearn for "Made in Hong Kong" products was unprecedented. In just a year, the surgical mask industry in Hong Kong has grown from scratch to the peak, whereas an estimate of 200 mask factories were operating in the city. Other than serving the local consumers, some of these "Made in Hong Kong" surgical masks were also exported overseas. A wide variety of surgical mask designs are available on the market; some manufacturers have even established well-known brands and expanded their businesses to other sectors. Throughout the world, although majority of the consumer service industries has been hit hard by the COVID-19, most of the manufacturing industries have been able to stand strong and carry the demands of producer service industries along the value chain. Through interviewing three local entrepreneurs, this issue of Hong Kong Industrialist reviews the dynamics of the surgical mask industry in the past year and also looks through the mutualistic relationship between manufacturing and producer service industries. 2 020年初，新冠肺炎疫情爆發，世界各地對防疫用品，尤其是口罩的需求暴增。以往香港口罩供應依靠進口； 在世界各地疫情告急之際，各國均收緊出口，加上停工停運等因素，本地市面一「罩」難求。市民為買口罩通宵 輪候的新聞畫面，依然歷歷在目。為解燃眉之急，不少港資廠商義不容辭，儘管毫無經驗，仍馬上出錢出力在港開 設口罩生產線，社會對「香港製造」的期盼可謂是前所未有般殷切。 一年多以來，香港的口罩工業從無到有，在高峰期估計有逾200間口罩廠。「香港製造」口罩不但服務自己人， 不少廠家亦有出口產品，而且市面上的口罩設計越來越多，有些廠商更建立出家傳戶曉的品牌，擴展多元業務。縱 觀世界各地，在疫情下消費性服務業受到沉重打擊，但大部份製造業仍能逆流而上，更連鎖帶動上下游的生產性服 務業。是次專題訪問了三位香港口罩企業家，回顧行業過去一年的經驗，亦透視製造業和「生產性服務業」之間互 利共生的關係。 FOCUS STORY | 專題 16 | 5-7/2021